Studies On Internal Male Reproductive Organs Of Subfamily Lithosiinae

Taxonomic work on lithosiinae group of moths got initiated in the Department of Zoology and Environmental sciences, Punjabi University, Patiala in 1994. Since then many taxa have been published, updated and revised by Kirti and Singh (1994, 1994a, 1995, 1995a, 1996, 2000). Studies on the internal reproductive organs of subfamily Lithosiinae have been undertaken for the first time in this country. The internal reproductive features are species specific structures and enable to update the diagnosis of various taxa in family Arctiidae. In the present work studies on male internal reproductive organ of subfamily Lithosiinae were made for the first time. The work on the internal genitalic organs are meagre in the order Lepidoptera, not only in this country but also throughout the globe. Keeping this in view, the internal male reproductive organs of as many as 53 Indian species of subfamily Lithosiinae of family Arctiidae have been studied and illustrated here in the present work. Many new taxonomic attributes have been observed, recorded and commented upon for their taxonomic significance. These features have been used to improve the diagnosis of various taxa.